The senior announced on social media Monday night that it was one of the hardest decisions of his life, and also that it's "only the beginning of something special." He will arrive as a preferred walk-on.

Penn State has spent plenty of time recruiting specialists in this cycle as multi-year starter Tyler Davis graduated while Alex Barbir decided to leave the program. Next year's competitors for the starting kicking and kickoff jobs include punter Blake Gillikin, current walk-ons Carson Landis and Nick DeAngells, and Class of 2018 signee Jake Pinegar, and incoming walk-ons Hilling, Rafael Checa, and punter/kicker Cade Pollard.

MaxPreps reports that Hilling, who stands 5-foot-11, 201 pounds, was 46 of 46 on extra point tries as a senior while making 10 of 12 field goal tries with a long of 41 yards. He also handled punting duties this year for the Golden Tigers in 2017, averaging 40.6 yards per punt.